Multiple-effect evaporating apparatus.



S. M. LILLIE. MULTIPLE EPFEGT EVAPORATING APPARATUS. l APPLIUATIDN FILED JUNE 18, T906. 948,376, Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

2 SHEETB-SHEBT 1.

l s. M. LILLIB. MULTIPLE EFFECT BVAPORATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 151906.

Patented Fb. 8, 1919.

m H n m 3 fw F u 7 3, o@ 4 9 INVENTR 6MM mdrr-w WFI'MESSES ATTIIRIIEY SAMUEL MORRIS LILLIE, OF EHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MULTIPLE-EFFECT EVAPORATING APPARATUS.

eisers.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. atented lFeb. 8, i910.

Application led .Tune 18, 1906. Serial No. 322,190.

o all whom 'it may concern:

Be 1t known that l, Santis. Mouais LIL- Lin. of the city and county of Philadelphia .and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an lnlprovenicnt in Mnltiple-Eltect Evaporating .-Xpparatus, of which the followingis a specitication.

My invention has reference to multipleelfect evaporating r apparatus; and it consists of certain improvements, which are fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanyinp` drawings, which form a part. thereof.

Multipleett'ect evaporating and apparatus for practicing' it are well known in the arts, and it is unnecessary here to give explanation of either in detail other, perhaps, than to say that the heat is used repeatedly in a series of evaporators or eifects, as usually, and as hereinafter termed, in which the temperatures range between certain extremes. T he heat (commonly contained in steam) is used for evaporation first in its hottest ett'ect, while the vapors from the coolest ettect usually pass into a condenser. As u rule one solution is evaporated in the series and is taken into the hottest etfect and after passing through the intermediate et'- t'ects in succession, sutiiering' evaporation in each, due to the vapors from the next hotter clfect, it passes into the coolest effect and away from it concentrated to the desired degree. l "ll/'hen the liquid being,` concentrated contains in solution scale-forming materials, incrustations are usually formed on the heating-surfaces in one or all of the effects. Usually the incrustations are the greater the greater the degree of concentration in the solution, and consequently following the above-described sequence they increase in the elfect from the hottest to toe coolest. Sometimes they are lai-,giel y confined to the last or coolest effect. .l have been able to largely prevent adherence of this incrustation to the heating surface by employing` the apparatus set out in Letters Patent No. '777,lli, granted to me on December 13, i904, and by which l accomplish the frequent varying` of the temperature `in the several eects by reversing the direction of the heat through the series, each reversal makingl what was before the hottest eli'ect the coolest etl'ect andV whatwas before the coolest effect the hottest eifect. the heat passing through the series in the reverse order to which Ait passed before reversal. The `solution being concentrated is reversed at the same time the direction of the heat is reversed, as a result of which the dilute solution after reversal enters the effect that was before the coolest and contains the heaviest incrusta'tions. The purpose of this is to take advantage of what is often the fact that a dilute solution has a solvent elfect upon the incrustations which deposit from it in the concentrated state.

More particularly, the object of niy present invention is to provide positive means under control of the attendant for reversing the valves controllingcommunication between the several eifects when employed in combination with evaporatingapparatus of the character set out in my Letters Patent No. 7 77,114 aforesaid, at time when it is desired to reverse the circulation of the vapors therein.

In carryingout my invention l provide in a multiple ett'ect two vapor-passages between each pair of adjacent effects one passage connecting the vapor-chamber of one effect with the heating-chamber of the other and the other passazgev connecting the h lading-chamber ole the one with the vaporchaniher ot thel other and combine therewith valves, whereby either passage may be opened or closed at will, and means under the control of the'attcndant for operating said valves, preferably in both of the passages, so that when one is closed the' other is opened and vice versa.

My invention also embodies details of construction,` which-together with the above features of invention, will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which, for purposes ot' illus tration, l have shown an evaporator of iny own invention commercially lknown as the Lillie type.

in the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of a 111ulti1 leettect evaporating apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of saine and Fig. 3 is a sectionalplan view of one of the elfects and connections with adjacent effects.

A, i A2 and A3 are four etlects and, as arranged, have the steam-chambers S of adjacentctt'ects at opposite ends.

L represents theevaporating and liquor chambers. The details of construction of the eli'ects for evaporating,` and circulatingg"110 the liquid are not described iii this appiication as they may be similar to what is shown in my Letters Patent No. 777,1't aforesaid. The liquor is supplied to the several effects in series, beginning with either effect A or A3, by suitable pipes, The circulation of the liquor through the several effects and its reversal is fully set out in my aforesaid Letters Patent, and in lieu'of specific description here, reference is made thereto. The steam is supplied by valve pipe E to the steam-chamber S of effect A. The vapors from the evaporating chamber L of effect A pass through passage B into the steam chamber S of effect A". The vapor from the evaporating chamber L of this effect A pass through passage B into the steam chamber S of e lect A. The

vapors from the evaporating chamber L of this effect pass by passage Bf into the steam-chamber S of effect A2. The vapors from eect A2 pass by passage B2 into the steam-chamber of effect A, and the vapors of the evaporating-chamber L of this last effect are condensed by a suitable condenser suclras shown for example in my Patent No. 777 ,114, hereinbefore referred to. 'lhe various passages B to B5 are controlled by valves, such as shown at C to C respectively, for example the valves in the pas sages B, B2 and BL being open and' the valves in the vremaining passages closed when the heat or vapors are passing as just described, iV hen the system is to be reversed, the liquor is circulated in the reverse' direction. The flow of the liquor hav ing been reversed through the several effects, the valves in the passages B to 15" are reversed also, and then the. vapors pass as follows: Steam is shut off by valve lil and admitted to the steam-chamber t5 of effect A3 by-steam valve ll, Where it is condensed. The vapors generated in the evaporatinp'- chamber of this effect pass through passage B3 into the steam-chamber of effect A2 and are condensed. rlhe vapors of the evaporating chamber of effect A2 pass by passage B into the steam-chamber of effect A and are condensed. T he vapors from this effect pass by passage B"J into the steam-chamber of effect A and are condensed, and the vapors of the evaporating-chamber of effect. A are condensed by a suitable condenser.

The `various passages B to B5 are con.

trolled by suitable valves. As shown, they consist of flat valves connected by rod D, so as to normally close thev valves C 'J C2 and open valve C in the passages B. B2, and B, respectively, or vice versa. ln the other passages, B3, B5, and B4, asimilar arrangement of valves C3, C4, Cf". is employed on rod D2. The valves C and Cs are supported on their respective rods l), D2 with provision for adjustment and as shown are pressed forward by coil springs c. The obessere ject of this is, that when these rods are shifted, cach to simultaneously close two valves one. of each of said pairs of valves is given this yielding support so as to in sure both valves of each pair closing tightly, as it would be almost impossible to insure them both seating` the exact same instantin actual practice if rigidly secured to the rod. The valves and passages are made larger when the. vapors passing are less dense, so as to secure the greater area with the lower pressures.

The rods D, D2, extend through the several effects and thence through cylinders D, D3 respectively secured to the sides of the most distant effects and are provided with pistons therefor so'that the said shafts may be reciprocated under the power of these devices as motors, which may be hydraulically or otherwise operated. `Water is supplied to these hydraulic cylinders by pipes ft2 P and simultaneously controlled by hand or valve device R, by which water under pressure may be simultaneously admitted to the similar or corresponding ends of the cylinders D', D, and exhausted from the other ends, or vice versa, whereby the rods D, D2 and their valves are operated, at the same time and in directions to reverse the direction of the valve. In-this Way the valves in the two series of passages of the effects are adjusted at the saine time and without any special care on the' part of the attendant. The motors for opera-ting the valve leds D, D2 may be operated by steam or other motive fluid such as or air instead of water if so desired. Any mechanical motors or power devices for moving the rods l). l maybe employed under the terni motor. in the particular construction shown the several valves for the two series of upper passages of the effects are secured totheir respective rods and the power, hydraulically or otherwise, is applied tothe rods for moving them, but broadly considered, my invention comprehends means lil O extending from the valves to without the Y effects for operating said valves under manual control.

f have shown my invention applied to a type of multiple effectknown to the trade as the Lillie effect; but it is to be understood that my invention is applicable to any type of multiple effect.

Thile for convenience of construction l have arranged the steam ends alternately at opposite ends of the effects, l. do not limit myself to such an arrangement as the adjacent effects may be connected by cross tubular connections between the steam and evaporating chambers, for example.

rl`he various valves in the passages hetween the steam and vapor chambers of the several effects may be constructed and operated in any manner desired so long as they dependent means independent control the circulation of the vapors and permit them to be reversed in the manner set out.

In this specification and in the following claims the expression adjacent effects is -used to designate consecutive effects in the course of the vapors-z'. e., one of the adjacent effects either receives vapor from the other or yields vaporto the other, depending upon whether the series is operating with the vapors (heat) passing through it in one direction or in the other.

IVhile the construction set out is adapted for the employment of my invention in practice, I do not limit myself to the details, as they may be modified without departure from the spirit of the invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-V ters Patent, is

l. In a multiple effect apparatus the com-v chambers of' adjacent effects, and positivelyactuating and manually controlled means independent of the valves for simultaneously operating theseveral valves of said valved passages by directly moving them.

2. In a multiple effect apparatus the com-` bination ofl a series of effects comprising horizontal and parallel vessels having steam and evaporating chambers and in which the adjacent effects have their steam chambers located on opposite ends, valved passages between the steam chambers and evaporating chambers of adjacent effects at both ends, in-

of the valves but directly connecting with them for positively operating the valves of said valved passages at the opposite ends of the eects, and manually controlled devices for simultaneously controlling the operating of both of said independent means for operating the 'alyesl 3. In a multiple effect apparatus the combination of a series of effects comprising horizontal and parallel vessels having steam and evaporating chambers and in which the adjacent effects have their steam chambers located on opposite ends, valved vapor passages between the steam chambers and evaporating chambers of adjacent effects at both ends, independent means for operating the valves 'of said valved passages at the opposite ends of the effects. valve operating rods for moving the valves, motors independent of the valves for moving the rods, and manuallycontrolled devices for controlling the motors.

4. In a multiple effect apparatus evaporator two vapor passages between each pair l l I i of adjacent effects, one passage connecting the vapor end of the one effect with the steam of the other and thc second connecting the steam end of' the one with the vapor end of the other and valved whereby either passage may be closed or opened at will, and independent motor devices separate from the valves for operating the valves of the two passages.

In a multiple effectajiiparatus evaporator two vapor passages between each pair of adjacent effects, one passage connecting the vapor end of the one effect with the steam end of the other and the second con necting the steam end of the one with the vapor end of the other and valved whereby either passage may oe closed or opened at will, independent motor .devices separate from the valves for operating the valves of the two vapor passages, and manually controlled means for simultaneously controlling the operation of both motor devices.

6. In a multiple effect apparatus the combination of a series of effects having steam and evaporating chambers, valved passages between the steam chambers and evaporating chambers of adjacent effects at bothl ends, two sets of valved steam pipes to supply steam to the steam chambers of' thc end effects of' the series, power devices independent of the valves for operating the valve of one set and located at one end of the series of effects, power devices independent of4 the valves for operating the valves of the other set and located at the other end of the series of effects, and manually controlled means for simultaneously controlling both of said power devices.

7.' In a multiple effect appa "atus the combination of a series of' effects having steam and evaporating chambers, valved passages between the steam chambers and evaporating chambers of adjacent effects at both ends,

valve rods for operating the valves in two sets, cylinders and pistons for operating the valve rods, and means for simultaneously controlling the power to the cylinders for operating the pistons thereof.

8. `In a multiple effect apparatus the combination of' a series of effects comprising horizontal and parallel vessels having steam and evaporating chambers and in which the adjacent effects have their steam chambersv located on opposite ends, passages connecting` the steam and evaporating chambers of adjacent effects, valves for said passages, connections between the valves of the passages so as to cause adjacent valves to operateon their valve seats in vopposite directions to cause the passageways to be opened and closed alternately, motors independent ot' the Valves for operating the connections between the valves, and means for controllingthe operation of the motors.

i). The combination of three or more effects of a multiple effect apparatus provided with passages from the steam chamber of one effect to the evaporating chambers of two adjacent effects, valves to open one of said passagesand close the other or vice versa, .and manually controlled means coinmon to both of the valves :for operating y them simultaneously.

10. The combination of three or more effects of a multiple effect apparatus provided with passages from the steam chamberof one effect to the evaporating chambers of two adjacent effects, valves to open one of said passages and close tle other or viceversa, and manuallyrpontrolled means for positively'and mechanically operating both of the valves simultaneously extending to the outside of the effects.

11. The combination of three or more effects of a multiple effect apparatus provided with passages from the steam chamber' to the evaporating chambers of t'wo adjacent effects, valves to open one of said passageways and close the other or vice versa, connections between the valves whereby they operate as a unit, and a mot-or independent of the valves for operating the connections and their valves.

l2. The combination of three or more veffects of a multiple effect apparatus provided with passages from the steam chamber to the evaporating chambers of two adjacent effects, valves to open one of said passageways and close the other or vice versa, connections between the valves whereby they operate as a. unit, a motor independent of the valves for operating the connections and their valves, and manually controlled means outside of the effects for controlling the operation of the motor. v

13. The combination of three or more effects of a multiple effect apparatus provided with passages from the steam chamber of one effect to the evaporating chambers of two adjacent effects, valves to open one of said passages and close the other or vice versaLmanually controlled means for positively operating both of the valves consisting of a power motor independent of the valves to operate the valves, pressure fluid pipes for supplyingfluid to the motor and va ve mechanism to control the fluid in the fluid pipes.

14. In a multiple eect apparatus the combination of a series of effects having steam and evaporating chambers, valved passages between the steam chambers and evaporating chambers of adjacent effects at both ends, valved steam pipes to supply steam to the steam chambers of the end effects of the series, and means connecting with the valves extendin to the outside of the effects for positive y operating said valves independent of the steam pressures within the effects.

In testimony of 'which invention, I hereunto set my hand.

`s. Monats LILLIE.

'Vitnesses JOHN J. WALTER, CoLiN l). SMrrH. 

